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Kings Double-Up With Ducks In OC

by
Alex Kinkopf
/ Los Angeles Kings

KINGS (/-/-/) at DUCKS (/-/-/)

5:00PM PT, TV: PRIME TICKET; RADIO: AM 790 KABC

FRIENDLY: The Kings are playing their second and final preseason game against the Anaheim Ducks this evening at Honda Center. In their first matchup on Thursday night at STAPLES Center, the Kings iced a very young roster, but pulled out a 4-3 win in a game that extended to a shootout. Tonight, the Kings’ roster will consist of a slightly stronger contingent of veteran players.

DREW STATUS: After suffering an undisclosed upper-body injury while training over the summer, Drew Doughty sat out the beginning of training camp. Doughty hit the ice Monday at Toyota Sports Center, and skated in his first full training camp session on Tuesday. Doughty will not dress tonight in Anaheim, but his return to the Kings’ lineup appears to be imminent.

“Im sure it’s going to be soon. I don’t know exactly,” Doughty told Jon Rosen on Saturday in regards to the timetable for his return. “I haven’t really talked to anyone about it, but I’m sure if I’m not in on Sunday, then I’ll be in hopefully on Tuesday.”

GIBBY WITH IT: The Kings struck for three goals on 34 shots against Anaheim’s supposed #1 goalie Jon Gibson Thursday night at STAPLES Center, along with beating the Ducks’ netminder twice during the shootout.

Frederik Andersen will likely get the call in net tonight for the Ducks. Andersen was replaced by Gibson during the 2014 Western Conference Semifinals after suffering a lower-body injury. Andersen was perfect against a split-squad Colorado Avalanche roster last Monday, earning a shutout with 27 saves.

KING OF KINGS

CUTS: The Kings have made two rounds of cuts so far, and are left with a total of 36 players on their training camp roster. Out of those players remain 19 defensemen, 13 forwards, and four goaltenders. More cuts are expected to be made Monday following tonight’s game in Anaheim. From then on, we’ll see rosters that consist of mostly veterans, closely masking what will eventually be the Kings’ opening night roster on October 8.

MISS ME WHILE I’M GONE: The Kings won’t return home to STAPLES Center until October 8, when they face the San Jose Sharks in their regular season opener. Until then, the Kings will play four preseason games away from Los Angeles. That includes tonight in Anaheim, September 30 in San Jose, October 2 in Colorado Springs, and October 4 in Las Vegas.

WHO'S IN?: Per Jon Rosen, tonight's lineup for the Kings will look as follows:

WE'RE DOING IT LIVE: Catch tonight's game live on PRIME TICKET. However, if you're looking for local voices calling tonight's game, Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans will be live on the call from Honda Center via the radio airwaves on AM 790 KABC. You can listen live on KABC.com.